Centre is given windfarm cash

Dec 19 2008 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A NEW youth centre is set to be created in Eastern Perthshire with money tied up in the Drumderg windfarm project.

Alyth Youth Partnership (AYP) were awarded close to £10,000 from the windfarm’s community benefit fund in March.

Paul MacFarlane, a youth worker with the AYP, told the PA that the money will be used to fund a new centre for local youngsters over 15-years-old, set to open early in the New Year.

“Since receiving the Drumderg money we have been able to get an extra staff member, Gail Balie, on board.

“She carried out research into the over-15 age group in Alyth and found they wanted a drop-in centre, with internet access, that wasn’t connected to a school.

“When young people get to 15 or 16 they maybe don’t want to engage in pre-programmed activities – like you would do at Scouts for example.

“The new centre will hopefully become a hub and try an engage as many young people as possible in activities that they want to do.

“All the groups the AYT runs at the moment will carry on as normal.

“But bringing Gail in to do the research, and get the ball rolling on the centre, is what we used the Drumderg money for and it has been really successful,” he said.

Paul added that the new drop-in centre will be situated on Alyth’s Airlie Street and is scheduled to open on January 27.

Almost £63,000 from the Benefit Fund has been awarded to 34 community groups within the catchment areas of Alyth and Mount Blair community councils in the last year.

The fund is a series of grants tied up in Scottish and Southern Energy’s (SSE) 16-turbine windfarm on the outskirts of Alyth.

The cash is held by the Scottish Community Foundation (SCF), on behalf of SSE, and divided up amongst the applicants by a 12-person advisory panel comprised of members of the public.

Community groups now have until February 2 2009 to apply for the next round of grants.

Forms can be downloaded from the SCF website, www.scf.org.uk, and must be submitted to either of the relevant community councils.

A decision is set to be made by the advisory panel by the end of March.